Sunday, April 16
After the blog was out, I sent an Easter card to several people, and was on Facebook checking birthdays, when an “ad” came across on The Free Box site for a giveaway of a 6′ 28″ bookcase. I was notified something had just been offered 35 minutes ago. We drove an F-350 to carry a 35 pound object because it was 6 inches to long to fit in the Forester. Round trip distance was about 20 miles. John says the bookcase is the most expensive free thing we’ve gotten. Nancy says, “Probably not.”
I worked on birthday & anniversary cards through Jacquie Lawson’s unique UK site and sent out an Easter card.
Monday, Apr 17
For Apr 16 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=1.22. Events: 1 CSR, 8 H, 16 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 32 min with (max = 16 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 92.5%. Pulse avg. 52.6, low 48.
John went to White Heron. It’s only 3 pruners this week, and just John & Cameron this coming Friday.
I managed to cancel the Haband VIP service after taking advantage of all the discounts. I had to get out or pay $15 / mo for something for which we have no use. They try hard to keep selling things after the initial contact.
INTERNET red light stopped progress, and I had to restart the router/modem.
I worked on the Jobs list ‘sends’ and music for the Food Bank, finishing Alexander’s Ragtime Band, Amazing Grace in C, and finally sent 6 pdfs off to Evelyn at 12:43. We are changing the keys to C or G for songs we previously did in D because our harmonica players only have C & G instruments.
I boiled eggs and made chicken salad for the next 3 days. It was a special mix, with added Honeycrisp apple that John brought home and grated cheddar cheese. Great lunch. He brought home two $10 boxes of 12 each of the Honeycrisp from Double Diamond in Quincy (been in ‘controlled atmosphere’ {CA} storage since fall).
The image above is of the cars parked in front of Double Diamond (left) and Starr (right) – almost all these are for folks sorting and boxing apples, most into boxes of 40 pounds. Bigger packers are located in Wenatchee and the Yakima area.
This is nearing the end of the big Honeycrisp. Later they will have Apricots, boxed and sold fresh, because they do not keep in CA, as do apples. We don’t know the price yet.
My friend, Glenn Engels & his mom Anne, from Ellensburg has been sending pictures to his Facebook site all week. They are in Peru. Throughout the week, I will share his photos, as collages of my favorite shots of all the ones he is posting.
These were in Cuzco. Anne with an Alpaca, Glenn with some local kids, and a wall hanging he purchased.
Some more Peruvian images: a musician, guinea pigs on the dirt floor of a home, and garbage-eating receptacles.
Tuesday, Apr 18
For Apr 17 CPAP. I cannot report CPAP figures, today, because I did not replace the SD card in the machine last night. (I have to take it out in the morning and put in my computer to run my software analysis packages for each collection device.) Time was about 7.5 hrs. Oximetry was quite good: SpO2 low 91, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 94.5%. Pulse avg. 54.4, low 50.
I bid John farewell for his trip to White Heron today, went back to bed, and slept another hour. Spent the rest of the morning working mostly on music, but some on other needs in the house. The weather was crazy. Sunny, rainy, and even hailed at a friend’s a few miles to the SW.
I stopped by the bread room on my way to the AAC and found two packages of cupcakes to take to the senior center for the folks who come for coffee and visiting, or there were enough they can use them for noon lunches for a few folks. I took 2 dozen. I carried two gluten free pizza dough packages by a friend’s, and dropped off two loaves of white bread to another person (both on my way to the senior center).
This was our last day of Jazzercise and 4 of us were able to be there to thank Katrina for 2 years of offering us low-aerobic Jazzercise at the AAC. We had a nice card and gift certificate to her favorite morning place for lattes on her way to work. 
Connie, Nancy, Katrina, Evelyn, Nan (missing Anne, in Peru)
I will add the colors of the day, from Peru, from her son, Glenn.
Peruvians are bright color people
I dropped by Bi-Mart to check my numbers, and found two containers of Easter chocolate candies marked 50% off. Luckily, my ending number of my membership is a “1” – the chosen number to receive a free package of Aplets and Cotlets “fruitlet” candies (Apple, Pear, Cherry) from Liberty Orchards in Cashmere, WA. I wonder how many gifts they give away on Tuesdays?
After picking up mail for Anne at Rosewood, I came home and continued working on the music I need to print for tomorrow that Evelyn didn’t get done before she ran low on paper.
Wednesday, Apr 19
For Apr 18 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.47. Events: 2 H, 1 OA, 2 PP, 19 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 27 min with (max = 12 L/min). Slept in after. Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 91.6%. Pulse avg. 55.6, low 50.
I awoke abruptly from interrupted sleep with nightmares about cleaning up this house. John left at 7:40 a.m.
This morning I continued searching for a cleaning person (for folks that moved here, not knowing it gets cold in winter; they are selling and moving to someplace warmer). I did not get my own dishes done.
Filling the “pill organizer” once a week is a tedious job and thankless task, but I accomplished it. I must check on the price of Amiodarone before I order a 90-day refill.
Need to finish getting the music ready for the food bank today, and load up ‘hens & chicks’ (plants) and clothes and get out of here to pick up Gloria.
I picked her up and we went to the Food Bank for music and food after, thanking us. We had a bunch of fans at the front table. From there we ran an errand to the bank, and went on to SAIL exercise class at the senior center. After that, we both needed some grocery shopping done. On my way home to let her off, I stopped by and delivered some hens & chicks (succulents) to a friend (story below on Friday).
One of our new songs next month has been presented and put into SongWriter 2012 software by Evie Schuetz. I found this rendition on line that is worth watching. I know you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Bonaparte’s Retreat, 1981, Barbara Mandrell & Glen Campbell (with him on Guitar & Bagpipe) Link
Today’s entry from high up in the Andes (from Glenn):
Chicón Mt., 18,143 feet and examples of terracing
Thursday, Apr 20
For Apr 19 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.44. Events: 1 CSR, 2 H, 1 OA, 1 PP, 10 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 49 min with (max = 7 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 93.1%. Pulse avg. 53.9, low 50.
We entertained today at Pacifica and had an appreciative audience with a bunch of us performing. Our newest fiddler, Laina Brown, treated us at the end with a classical solo piece. She is so good and gracious to share her talents. Everyone in the audience loved her presentation, and all of us players as well.
After music, I picked up potting containers of all sizes from Sharla Layman’s husband’s workplace on Elmview, south of the airport. We’ve been starting new plants and giving them away, so the containers are much appreciated. Sharla is also a MOPS mom and participated in offering succulents (along with Amy), to the project described below on Friday.
I called EBRG stores about Sunflower seeds, looking for the best price. John went by & bought two bags. Best price on gasoline today was $2.73/gal and then we get a 4% return (~11¢) from the credit card agency. Life is way too complicated.
Our friend who gave us sweatpants, found a deserving person for us to give our Gazelle exercise machine, pictured in a previous week’s blog. At this rate of disposal, if we live to be 100, we will be rid of all this stuff.
Friday, Apr 21
For Apr 20 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=1.81. Events: 11 H, 19 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 5 min with (max = 10 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 90, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 94.8%. Pulse avg. 52.7, low 47.
Up at 5:40 a.m. and back to bed for almost an hour.
John left at 7:30 a.m. for White Heron.
I decided to go to the program, “Sixties’ Songs of Peace and Protest,” held at Hal Holmes center in Ellensburg tonight. I found my Peace Symbol necklace to wear, which had been gifted to me over a year ago. It had belonged to a young girl’s mom, and she had no use for it. 
This evening was an excellent performance, and I’m glad I went.
I made a few short videos of my favorites, but the whole program eventually will be broadcast on the Ellensburg Educational Station. I’ll try to get that link to share.
My evening’s favorite was The Same River, by Juni Fisher / arr. Judy Coder (who is on the guitar below). I love their harmony.
Feel Like I’m Fixin’ to Die Rag, written by Country Joe McDonald – had the audience singing along on the chorus. This is full of GI humor .. chorus:
And it’s one, two, three,
What are we fighting for?
Don’t ask me, I don’t give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it’s five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain’t no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we’re all gonna die.
These two gals (Jennifer Epps and Judy Coder) are members of a (normally western music) group from Ellensburg, called Notable Exceptions. You can find them on the web.
Here was an earlier song in the program, performed by the Ellensburg’s Women’s Chorus. I know 3 people who sing in the group. One of them (Minerva) is also in our Fiddlers & Friends group.
Where Have all the Flowers Gone?
I was particularly interested in recording this song because I have been working on getting the music score into SongWriter to share with our group to include in our May/June playlist.
I have been working on our music with Evie’s great help, for the Fiddlers & Friends. It’s quite the project.
This was the day that Glenn and his mom visited Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu and Inca ruins
Just looking at these make me dizzy.
Sat, April 22
For Apr 21 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.62. Events: 3 CSR, 4 H, 24 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 25 min with (max = 17 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 90H, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 93.5%. Pulse avg. 52.5, low 47.
Find time to cut John’s hair this weekend. Missed it today. I kept thinking it would rain and he would come in, in the daylight.
I am still working on finishing the new entries and making pdfs. I’m working between two computers. Some of the stuff from Evie is in a different version of SongWriter that only can be utilized on my new Dell laptop. All my other stuff is on the Toshiba. I’m slowly migrating to the new one.
Bob Hall’s “Bottle Stopper” gift.
A friend from Oregon mailed a package:
John created this collage. A comment on the wine bottle that we actually bought at the old train station in Ellensburg. It is vintage 1988, the year I started my full-time teaching job at CWU.
Bob was a student at the Univ. of Iowa (UI) with John, in the same starting class of ’67. We are trying to figure all the people we knew from that year. Bob made stoppers for a few who started there 50 years ago. It has the UI’s mascot (a Hawkeye) on the top of the turned wooden top adhered to a food-okayed bottom.
John carried the stopper over and showed it to Cameron yesterday. I figure the bottling crew can test it next week when they bottle the Rose’ and have a bottle after the work is done, with some good food. John plans to take smoked turkey. He thought it would happen this week, but it didn’t. He had bought the turkey, but we were afraid it wouldn’t last, even though smoked, so we have been eating it and he will get more, next week.
We made a great egg salad lunch with cut-up smoked turkey, Havarti cheese, Honeycrisp apple pieces, and relish.
Speaking of crafty things, Here are the results of the MOPS craft project to make chicks (of hen and chicks succulents) for all 50 Moms of Pre-School children (MOPS). Two others besides us, both MOPS members, Amy & Sharla (mentioned above), donated the chicks. 
Left – Before donation from John (via Nancy), of Hen and chicks to Amy, and on the right, one of the resulting planted chick containers. Scale is difficult to visualize, but the glass containers received were smaller than expected so they needed the tiny “chicks.”
Besides being a musician (our flute, penny whistle, and washboard player), with her wonderful 4 yr old, Haley, our group’s mascot, she is an artist and a baker. She created this hand-formed succulent cake. You have seen her flower-decorated cupcakes in earlier blogs. What a talented young woman.
Sunday, April 23
For Apr 22 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.26. Events: 2 H, 1 PP, 21 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 38 min with (max = 9 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 92.5%. Pulse avg. 54.0, low 49.
Today, and the entire coming week, has clouds, chance of showers and a temperature range between 35 and 55°F. Over near White Heron, Apricots are blooming (pink) and vines are just starting pushing out leaves. South of Yakima (~75 miles) there is a claim that apple trees are flowering. An old residential section of Yakima on a hill west of town (early well-to-do folks) is filled with flowering plants. We’ll be down that way on May 5th, so hope flowering does not progress too rapidly.
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan